Christopher Airy

Sir Christopher Airy
Born 8 March 1934 (1934-03-08) (age 77)
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1954 - 1989
Rank Major-General
Commands held 1st Bn Scots Guards
5th Field Force
London District
Battles/wars Operation Banner
Awards Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Major-General Sir Christopher John Airy KCVO CBE (born 8 March 1934) was General Officer Commanding the Household Division and Major-General Commanding London District.

Military career

Educated at Marlborough College and the Sandhurst,[1] Airy was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1954.[2]

Airy became Personal Military Assistant to the Secretary of State for War in 1960, Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General and Regimental Adjutant in 1967 and Brigade Major of 4th Guards Brigade in 1971. In 1974 he transferred to the Scots Guards in 1974 on appointment as Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion of the Scots Guards.[3] Two years later he became Military Assistant to the Master-General of the Ordnance.

In 1979 he became Commanding Officer of the 5th Field Force, and in 1982 Assistant Chief of Staff at United Kingdom Land Forces.

Promoted to major-general in 1983, he served at the Royal College of Defence Studies,[4] before becoming Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District in 1986.[5] He retired in 1989.[6]

He was appointed Private Secretary and Treasurer to the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1990.[7] He remained in office for slightly under a year,[8] and was made an Extra Equerry to the Prince of Wales in 1991.[9] He was appointed KCVO in 1989[10] and CBE in 1984.[11]

Family

He married Judith Stephenson in 1959 and has one son and two daughters.

References

  1. ^ Burke's Peerage
  2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40133. p. 1875. 26 March 1954. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  3. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46403. p. 11380. 18 November 1974. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  4. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49619. p. 685. 16 January 1984. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  5. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 50446. p. 3086. 3 March 1986. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  6. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 51853. p. 9950. 28 August 1989. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  7. ^ London Gazette: no. 52142. p. 9351. 18 May 1990. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  8. ^ Where Has the Love Gone? People Magazine, 22 July 1991
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 52755. p. 19774. 24 December 1991. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  10. ^ London Gazette: no. 51797. p. 7679. 30 June 1989. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  11. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49583. p. 5. 30 December 1983. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir James Eyre		 GOC London District
1986–1989		 Succeeded by
Sir Simon Cooper
Court offices
Preceded by
Sir John Riddell		 Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales
1990–1991		 Succeeded by
Richard Aylard